1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel and safe antioxidant. More specifically, it relates to an antioxidant, for cosmetics, medicines and foods, which is composed of, as an effective ingredient, a diester of phosphoric acid with tocopherol and ascorbic acid and/or a salt thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In cosmetics, medicines, and foods comprising a base material which is easily deteriorated by oxidation, such oxidation is increased by contact with air and the quality is drastically degraded. Accordingly, an antioxidant is used to prevent this deterioration by oxidation.
As the antioxidant heretofore used, there can be mentioned synthetic antioxidants such as butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), and natural antioxidants such as D-.alpha.-tocopherol.
Synthetic antioxidants such as BHT and BHA have a relatively excellent anti-oxidizing effect, but since doubts have arisen with regard to the safety thereof, the use of these synthetic antioxidants is now being reconsidered.
A natural antioxidant, especially tocopherol, is highly evaluated with respect to safety but is defective in that the effect is not extensive. Moreover, the natural antioxidant has problems with regard to the supply source and the solubility. Therefore, an antioxidant able to exert a satisfactory anti-oxidizing effect when applied to an aqueous product is not known.